Scaffold bracket



March 15, 1960 ANDERSON ET AL 2,928,642

SCAFFOLD BRACKET 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 8, 1954 INVENTOR. RoeeawM.HAuc.K Aavn: A. Auoansou ATTORNEY March 15, 1960 A. A. ANDERSON ETAL2,928,642

SCAFFOLD BRACKET Filed Dec. 8, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Roeaa'r M. H AUCMARWD A. ANDERSCM- A-r'roanev 2,928,642 IC patented Mar. .15, .1969

SCAFFOLD BRACKET Application December 8,1954, Serial No. 473,812 7Claims. (Cl.'248--2'45) This invention relates to a bracket assemblyforum in connection with sectional scaffolding of the type well:known'today. Two or more-of the present brackets 'are used to providework and material platforms which .may .be moved vertically the heightof the .-scalfolding while being secured thereto at all times. Thebracket encloses :avertical leg of the scaffold and passes overhorizontal members connected .to the vertical leg without disengagingthe bracket.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a safe workplatform which may .be used with conventional scaffolding at any .heighton the scaffolding without :reiguiring release therefrom at any time.

Another object is to provide 'a-bracket which is vertically adjustableon a leg to which are connected horizontal members over which thebracket may pass readily.

Another object is to provide 'a bracket -of the type described which :issupported by a cable, chain or the like and is elevated by a hoistmechanism carried by the :bracket. The bracket is provided with a safetydevice 'to prevent free fall of the bracket if the cable should break.

Other objects and advantages will be :pointed out in, .or be apparentfrom, the specification and claims, .as will obvious modifications ofthe single embodiment shown in the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation showing two brackets .in .use on a portionof sectional scaffolding;

Fig. v2 is -a plan view of Fig. 1;

.Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one bracket;

Fig. 4 is a rear view of a bracket;

,Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated by line 55 inFig. 3 but with vertical leg :12 added to show the interaction of thebracket .and .the leg; and

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6-6 in .Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings now in detail, it will be seen that eachbracket 10 fits on a vertical leg v12 of the sectional scaffolding andis supported by a cable or wire rope '14 which may conveniently besecured to the top of the scaffolding. The scaffolding "employed heremay be of any conventional type which, as is well known, generallyemploys end frame members 16, 16 intercongreeted by the scissors typebraces 18. The vertical legs 12 .of each end frame are interconnected byhorizontal cross .members 22. At least two of the horizontal crossmembers .22 extend from leg to leg of the :end .frame, while other crossmembers may extend only partly. across to connect to intermediatevertical struts or the like.

I; will be noted that in the scaffolding illustratedlrere,

the scissors braces 18 are used only on the rear portion of the scaffoldwhile the front portion on which the brackets ride is free of braces soas not to interfere with movement of the brackets 'or with the workerson :the .planks supported by the brackets.

In use, one bracket is employed on each vertical leg of the scaffoldingwhich .is'ere'cted adjacent a wall 'or'ihe like. When this is done, acontinuous work platform can be provided along the front of thescaffolding between the scaffolding and the wall and this work plat-.form may be vertically adjusted to facilitate work on the wall.Alternatively, only two brackets can be used .ineconnection with thescaffolding, but in this case, the 'work platform is only about as longas the section of scaffolding and would require frequent movement where'workingon a wall of considerable length. However, this type of set-upmay be useful with these-called rolling tower type of scaffolding wherea vertical scaffold is built up on wheels. However, as will be apparentmore fully hereinafter, the present invention is designed principally toprovide a work platform where it is desired to work from the bottom upas in laying brick and the like.

Referring .now to the brackets in detail, each bracket has a pair ofspaced generally rectangular frame members comprised of a vertical leg24 and a curved leg .26 welded to the vertical leg. The generallyrectangular frames are interconnected by means of yokes 28 positionednear the top and bottom of the bracket assembly 'to provide a U-shapednotch 30 adapted to receive the vertical leg 12 of the scaffolding.Curved straps 2'9 fastened between the ends of vertical legs 24 of theframe add further strength thereto. It will be noted that therectangular frames are not parallel (see Fig. 2) but converge towardseach other away from the yokes. In this manner the inside surface ofeach frame member 25 is designed to cooperate with the horizontalmembers to prevent the bracket 10 from twisting about the axis of V thevertical leg 12 and thus stabilize the brackets in the scaffold. It willbe noted that each bracket is provided with two vertically spaced starwheels 31 which are rotatably mounted on threaded stud 32 upon which thewheels are retained by castel la'ted nuts 34. .Each star wheel has fourarms 36 each of which carries a pivoted roller 38 to offer the leastamount of'resistance. The arms 36 are sufficiently long to preventremoval of the bracket 10 from the scaffolding leg 12 without firstremoving the star wheel. least one arm of each star overlies the spacebetween the two legs 24 and will lie in the path of .any horizontalmember 22 as the bracket .is raised. Since the star planks 44 can belaid across the horizontal member 43 of the adjacent brackets to providea work platform which would be immediately adjacent the: wall upon whichit is desired to work. As shown iniFig. 1,, when it .is desired toextend the work platform, additional brackets (not shown) are employedon other yertical scaffold legs and the planks are laid in overlappingrelationship as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. This will As can beseen in Fig. 5, .at"

provide a continuous work platform over as great a length as desired.

The lower portion of each bracket is provided with laterally projectingstruts 46, 48 which support a sleeve 50 which in turn receives shaft 52in telescopic fashion. This provides a support of adjustable width forplanks to a be carried to the rear of the bracket. The shaft 52 isproriedby the frame for encircling the column between seen in Figs. 1and 2, the rearwardly projecting supports S2, 50 support a plank 62and'the supports are so {designed so that one is on each side of thehorizontal members in the sectional scaffolding. This is doneso theplanks will clear the horizontal members as the brackets are raised. Therear platform 62 is designed to be used by a masons helper. A tubularsupport 68 is carried by struts 64, 66 projecting laterally from thebracket a little above the middle of the bracket and is adapted toreceive shaft 70 in tele'- scopic fashion. Shaft 70 is provided with aflanged head 72 and holes 74 which permit the shaft 70 to be pinned tosleeve 68 through hole 76 in the sleeve. This horizontal support isadapted to hold plank 78 upon which the masons materials such as bricks,blocks, mortarand the like are piled at a convenient height. Here again,the

planks do not extend from section to section, but terminate within theconfines of the horizontal "members 22 of the sectional scaffolding.

raised on the vertical leg 12, the star wheels will rotate to walk overthe horizontal members 22. It will be appre' ciated-that failure of thewire rope 14 could result in a serious accident. With this in mind, asafety dog 86 is provided. The dog 86 is pivoted on pin 88 and biased byspring 89 counter clockwise into contact with stop 92.

Handle 90 can be manipulated to move the dog out of the path of thehorizontals. Since the dog is pivoted, it

will move out of the way as shown in dotted-lines in Fig.

5 when it passes a horizontal member. lmmediately on passing thehorizontal member, howeven the dog-will return to the position shown insolid lines to arrest downward movement of the bracket should the wirerope break. Q

It will be appreciated that in order tolower the bracket to be manuallymoved out of the path of the horizontal members 22. This is somewhatinconvenient, but when it is realized that this apparatus isprincipally' designed for use in brick laying, this is of no seriousconsequence .55 on the sectional scaffolding, the safety dog 86 wouldhave since the job has been completed when the top of the scaffoldinghas been reached and the usual method would be totake the brackets oifthe scaffold at the top of the scaffold and lower the parts by rope;

Although but one embodiment of the present invention has beenillustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in theart that various changes and modifications may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of theappended claims.

Weclairnr V 1. A scaffold bracket comprising, a frame including a pairof elongated sub-frames interconnected by yokes along one side thereofto result in a frame having agenferally U-shape in plan view, the insideof each oke the means and the yoke, said sub-frames being spaced apartremote from the yoke and adapted to cooperate with horizontal membersconnected to the column to prevent rotation of the frame, and meanscarried by the bracket for supporting, raising and lowering the bracket.

2. A bracket according to claim 1 in which the means comprises a starwheel rotatably carried by the frame and having spokes of sufiicientlength to overlie the column in any position of the star wheel.

3. A bracket according to claim 1 including a safety clog mounted in theframe and biased to a position preventing passage of a horizontal memberpast the dog from below the dog as would be encountered in descent ofthe frame on'the'column, said dog being movable against the bias eithermanually or by a horizontal member passing-the dogfrorn above asencountered when the said units projecting from the yoke and beingspaced apart a predetermined distance at the portions of the units mostremote from the yoke; to receive therebetween a horizontal scaffoldbrace to thereby prevent the assembly from rotating about the verticalscaffold column, said holding means being operative to pass over hori-.zontal braces as the assembly is moved on the vertical 'column withoutreleasingthe assembly from the column,

winch means carried by the assembly for raising, lowering and supportingthe assembly, two brackets carried by the assembly generally parallel tosaid units to provide supports on each side of the plane of thehorizontal and vertical scaffold members, and a bracket carried by theassembly and projecting therefrom to provide a support outside thescafiolding upon which the assembly is-secured. I 5. A bracket accordingto claim 4 in which the holding means comprises a star wheel rotatablymounted on the frame with the radially projecting arms of the wheeladapted to span the space between the units in spaced relationship tothe yoke, said wheel being removable to permit removal ofthe frame fromthe column.

, ,6. A bracket for use on scaffolding including a front vertical'columnhavingrearwardly projecting horizontal members connected thereto,said bracket including rearwardly projecting parallel frame membersadapted to straddle the column and the horizontal members, means carriedby the bracket for holding the bracket to the column to prevent movementof the bracket away from the column, said means normally beingpositioned to project into the vertically projected area of thehorizontalmernbers but withdrawing from the area to permit the bracketto move vertically on the column, and winch means carried by the bracketfor supporting, rais' ing and lowering the bracket on the scaffolding.

7. A bracket foruse on scaffolding including a front verticalcoliimmhaving rearwardly projecting horizontal members connectedthereto, said bracket including rearwardly projecting parallel framemembers adapted to straddle the column and the horizontal members,vertically spaced'retainingmeans carried by the bracket for holding thebracket to the column to prevent movement of the bracket away from thecolumn, each of said means including a plurality of devices positionedto project into the vertically projected area of the horizontal membersbut withdrawing from the area to permit the br'acketto move verticallyon the column, at least on'e of thedeviccs associated with each of theretainingmean's projecting into said'area at all times whereby each re;

taining means maintains constant engagement with the column.

References Cited in the file of this patent 5 UNITED STATES PATENTSGilbreth July 26, 1892 Gray Aug. 31, 1897 Wilber Apr. 18, 1899 LHeurewxApr. 20, 1915 1 Gafiers Dec. 5, 1916 6 Black Mar. 24, 1936 Uecker Feb.20, 1940 Thompson Mar. 25, 1941 Lord Sept; 18, 1945 Anne July 1, 1947Boedecker Oct. 2, 1951' Sims Oct. 2, 1951' Sprinkel Apr. 30, 1957FOREIGN PATENTS France Mar. 31, 1932

